Meath GAA discussion thread

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Interesting game against Mayo. They're there for the taking if we can perform. And if we were to get a win against them, who knows what could happen against Kerry in a packed Pairc Tailteann.

And if we beat Mayo next week and Kerry beat Donegal, does that mean the match in Navan means nothing to Kerry as they will already have qualified top of the group and could possibly rest players for the Meath match?

mickrourke wrote: »

And if we beat Mayo next week and Kerry beat Donegal, does that mean the match in Navan means nothing to Kerry as they will already have qualified top of the group and could possibly rest players for the Meath match?

Nope they wouldn't even be qualified as Meath and Donegal would both be on 2 points and if both were to win in third round they'd all be tied on 4. While it's unlikely they'd lose out to you on pd, they would want to win to secure top spot

9 points was a harsh beating. Apart from what’s already being said on kick outs etc, we started pumping in balls for goals with five minutes of normal time instead of clipping a couple of points to keep in touch. As well as that we never figured out that the Donegal out when we had pressure on was a kick out to Murphy who broke it to McHugh at full tilt. They must’ve pulled that one out of the bag three or four times after Newman’s penalty.

Stoner wrote:

But there was 5 minutes of worry there for donegal

Agreed.

But outside of that...

We left plenty behind us.

But plenty to worry us from both games today.

There will surely be a Mayo backlash next weekend.

May the team with the best kickouts win lol

snowgal wrote: »

Quick reply tonight as wrecked!! But yes and no on this. Actually if we had just plucking a few points in the last 13 mins, esp before 2nd Donegal goal, we were still there about. This trying for goals wasn’t needed but there was a panic in forwards... also I thought the black card was a huge turnaround though haven’t seen it mentioned at all.. upset our whole rhythm at that stage and for me the turning point. Andy Mc and the Donegal fans was a sight from the stand!

excellent reply but ,.. its baby steps now for meath , beat galway and monaghan next year in the league maybe get one back on donegal and avoid the drop

next step would be find one or two more forwards , the backs for meath are top top class as proven against dublin , its the front men that are letting the side down at the moment

james mcintee , pauric hareran , seamus lavin and conor mcgill are some of the best defenders in the country , shane mcentee donal keogan and ethan devine ain't bad operators either

lads ye are in a perfect position to build on next year ye probably need one or two options in the forwards but ye must be in the unique position that ye have probably the best defense in the country .....all we need is our forwards to score :rolleyes:

Hammer Archer wrote: »

Think we need to convince the likes of Lenehan and McKeever to come back to the panel next year. We don't have the fire power up front to keep the scoreboard ticking over and, as far as I remember, they were our top scorers last season.

Is Lenihan not away travelling? I'd be hopeful he'd be back on the scene if it's the case. Conlon will improve but at the moment he's too prone to taking on mad shots.

snowgal wrote: »

yea think he just lost interest completely, pity... I have to say Biggy has genuinely looked worse fitness and general motivation wise in the last few games than Ive seen him all year. I was actually abit embarrassed watching him plod around the pitch yesterday, one of our 'impact subs', Im sure Donegal were quaking........

To be fair, he's been liked that for a couple of years now, he seems to have lost that initial burst of pace that took him past players which was his trademark, as i know well, when you get older, if ya lose your pace, you lose your threat

Thought the final score was harsh on the lads in the end.

There are a lot of positives to take from the performance and in my opinion the negatives are fixable. That's my big take from a lot of what I've seen this summer.

For the first time in a long while the the team is beginning to take a bit of shape. Most of us could have a reasonable shout at naming the starting 15, which again is something that was not the case in recent years. We have a playing style and for the first time in a decade its something that the opposition have to take note of / counter act and in doing so slightly weakens their own hand.

You can see the players beginning to develop an understanding of how each other play, what runs to make and how to play together to win breaking ball. There is so much scope for this aspect to improve in particular with high intensity game time.

Its all early stages, but I believe/hope there is so much more to come if we give them the time and support. I think the support aspect is important, they need the support from a motivational perspective. Why else would they bother with the ridiculous levels of work required in the modern game? I'm not sure I would put myself through it even if I had the ability.

These 3 games are a free hit. We need them to get the team exposed to whats coming in division 1 next year. We have to find a 3 wins next year in division 1. That will give a the whole set up the chance to make real plans about doing some damage in next years championship.

Fitness levels will continue to improve (mentally and physically (not that they are unfit!!!!)), confidence will improve, the number mistakes will reduce and who knows in 3 to 5 years we might be hated again!!

Here's to being hated, man I miss those days.......... :-)

Really feel that this Meath team is just one big championship scalp away from being propelled into the big time.

So often recently against the big teams in championship - Donegal 2 years ago, Tyrone last year, Donegal last Sunday, we were mighty close with the game in the melting pot only to come out on the wrong side of a narrow defeat (I include Sunday just gone as a narrow defeat despite the final scoreline).

This team just needs the belief that a result against one of these top teams will bring to really build the confidence and I have a sneaking suspicion that Mayo next weekend might be the team that will help us to achieve this. We have accomplished so much this year that it's the least these players deserve than a big championship victory and I really hope the Meath fans turn out in style in Croker on Sunday. It has been a fabulous journey so far and long may it continue!

Obrieski wrote:

Really feel that this Meath team is just one big championship scalp away from being propelled into the big time.

Obrieski wrote:

This team just needs the belief that a result against one of these top teams will bring to really build the confidence and I have a sneaking suspicion that Mayo next weekend might be the team that will help us to achieve this. We have accomplished so much this year that it's the least these players deserve than a big championship victory and I really hope the Meath fans turn out in style in Croker on Sunday. It has been a fabulous journey so far and long may it continue!

Obrieski wrote:

So often recently against the big teams in championship - Donegal 2 years ago, Tyrone last year, Donegal last Sunday, we were mighty close with the game in the melting pot only to come out on the wrong side of a narrow defeat (I include Sunday just gone as a narrow defeat despite the final scoreline).

We will beat Mayo and Donegal, but it probably will be in 12 months time. All these games in super 8 and div 1. All these 10 games in next 10 months v top division 1 teams v top teams in the country is invaluable to these young Meath players. This experience is priceless. And if Meath stay in divsion 1 , more experience is gained.

Look at Roscommon last year hammered at super 8 stage and hammered by Tyrone last year, they only lost by 4 points on Sat, and Rossies beat Mayo and Galway this year. It will be the same for Meath. Next year Meath will be battle hardened by these 10 division 1 games.

Also McEntee will be in year 4 and younger players like Conlon Devine Ryan Campion and Walsh will have had great experience playing top teams , young exciting forwards coming thru eg Luke Mitchell Matthew Costello of the underage teams. And the return of maybe 8 or more ex panelist to the panel eg Donal lenihan, Ronan Jones, Eamon Wallace , Alan Forde , Ruari O Coilean, Niall kane , Paddy Kennelly. Maybe even Harry Rooney. While players like Lavin , Harnan , J McEntee, S McEntee, Sullivan , McGill , McMahon Wallace , Flanagan ,Kennelly , Forde are all around 25 age mark will start to peak as footballers next summer and the summer after.

Its pretty obvious Meath are on an upward trajectory and Meath are going to get stronger and stronger. And next summer and the following year in 2021 this team will start to peak. Remeber this team is at 12 to 24 months before it peaks . And it does take time. Every team in history of football take years of ups and downs before sucess. It took allot of that Dublin team 6 years before they got to an All Ireland final and years of bad defeats to kerry , Mayo Cork and bad hammerings to Meath and kerry before they achieved their aims. They were coming from higher level. They were 5th or 6th best team in country in 2005.It took them til 2011 til they became the best. Meath were 15th best team in country last season. They are now 8th and at lowest 9th best team in the country. We want to break into top 6 or 7 teams and stay there in divsion 1 and win leinster. That will take more morale victories hard luck losess. Again in 12 months time we will be a much better team.

Of course it would be brilliant if we beat Mayo and if we did and had a chance of reaching semi final it would be outstanding achievement by players and management from.where we were last spring being near relegated to divsion 3 and losing to longford. Now we are comprehensivly beating teams like longford eg Carlow Laois and comprehensivly beating top division 2 teams eg Armagh, kildare Fermanagh and Cork. And really putting it up two best teams in country eg Donegal and Tyrone that is serious improvement in 12 months. And looking at age profile of the team the average age is 24 , and on sunday we had Conlon 21 , Campion 20 , Devine 20 and Walsh 19 all playing in the forwards. Anyone who knows anything about sport knows sportspeople with potential who are 19 or 20 years of age can only get better. This Meath team will only get better. But beating Mayo could be step to far. Kildare and Roscommon were in. are position last year and failed to win any games. Galway were promoted in 2017 and struggled at super 8 / quater final stage. If we suceed where Galway in 2017 and kildare and Roscommon in 2018 that would be an unbelievably goof sign for the future.

And as someone said above the Sunday Game and media are ignoring Meath , but they have always ignored Meath. Even when Meath won All Irelands they were downgraded and underapreciated. Think of 1996 or when we won 2 in a row in 88. Great achievements but all.we heard about in 96 was McHale and boucing ball not the greatest performance by young team ever in an All Ireland final and 88 we heard about rough play not one great achievements modern football , one of few teams outside kerry or Dublin to put back to back All Irelands.

So the media have always being anti Meath. While other counties hyped we are ignored or downplayed or criticised. But the way things are going in the next 12 to 24 months even the Dublin media will have to take notice of Meath.

Meath are no longer going in the right direction. Meath are in a new category , Meath are a coming team with potential. A team for the future, a team to look out for in next 2 to 3 years. Some of gaa community outside county are starting to notice this.
Tomas O Se did say Meath surprised him on Sunday , Meath were very good. Kieran Donaghy said Meath were very good also and are playing some exciting football with new exciting talent. Some are taking notice. Soon the whole of the gaa will have to take notice of us. And if we beat Mayo on Sunday everyone will take notice, which will be very difficult. Kerry hammering Mayo is worst that could have happened to Meath. Mayo will be up for this on sunday. But u never know. An young up and coming team beating Mayo where did we see that before. In 1996 and 2009 of course. We are a bogey team of sorts for Mayo and all these things help. We have problem beating Ulster teams in the last ten years but for 70 or 80 years Connacht teams and Mayo teams have had problems beating Meath. U just never know. They say Meath dont lose to Mayo. If we beat them on Sunday and beat their greatest team since All Ireland winning team of 1950 and 1951. Well that saying really must be true. But overall its not what happens next sunday , its what happens next spring and next summer and in 2021 that will define this team. And the direction is upward in direction and is very much a positive one.